Asa Butterfield and Cora Kirk return to Your Christmas or Mine on Prime Video for an exciting sequel that follows the two lovers as they get separated… again… during the holidays. This time, James (Butterfield) and his father has invited Hayley (Kirk) and her loved ones to spend Christmas with them at a luxury ski resort. Hayley’s father covers his family’s hotel arrangements, but after a mix-up at the airport, James’ family ends up in the dilapidated shack that Hayley’s family rented. Uh oh! Will Hayley and James make it back to each other before the holiday?
The Gist: James Hughes and Hayley Taylor decide to spend Christmas in the Alps at a luxury ski resort with their families, and Hayley’s father Geoff’s (Daniel Mays) new American girlfriend.
Everything is going according to plan until the Taylors arrive at their hotel and find that it’s much nicer than what they expected. Whoops! Turns out, they are actually at the Hughes’s hotel, and the other family has been sent to theirs.
Given the class disparity between the two, the Hughes are stuck in a dilapidated shack with an inattentive host for the evening, due to a snowstorm. Meanwhile, the Taylors are getting five-star treatment. It’s fine, mistakes happen! Along the way, everybody’s luggage also got switched. Hayley digs through James’s belongings to find a pair of pajamas and she discovers a diamond ring. Is James going to propose?
The young couple spend the evening apart, without James being aware of Hayley’s finding. During this time, James gets an offer to study filmmaking in Los Angeles, which is a long way from where he and Hayley live in London. The next morning, everybody reunites and the two families stay together at the resort. Will Hayley be able to keep her cool? Is James actually going to propose? What about Los Angeles?
What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: Dare I say… Your Christmas or Mine? The sequel shares much in common with its predecessor, beyond the return of characters. Such as, well, a chunk of the plot. In all seriousness, the movie will remind you of other holiday flicks revolving around young love and hijinks, like Love Hard and Single All the Way.
Performance Worth Watching: It’s a given. If Jane Krakowski is in a movie, she is — undeniably — the best part of the movie. The 30 Rock alum rocked as Geoff’s new American girlfriend. A little ditzy, a little rude, but full of heart — all the components of a solid Krakowski character.
Memorable Dialogue: After Hayley misreads a situation with James, he rushes to assure her that he wasn’t flirting with another woman. He proclaims, “She’s like a sister to me!” Confident in what she saw, Hayley responds, “People don’t do that with their sister, James. This isn’t Game of Thrones!” Sure, the moment was quite serious… but I chuckled.
Holiday Tradition: Once is a mistake, but twice is a pattern. We can confidently say that this couple’s “holiday tradition” is being separated from each other in the tee-up to Christmas Day. Hayley and James, y’all have got to pay closer attention to the details.
Does the Title Make Sense?: Sure, why not! Maybe less so if it wasn’t a sequel. This time around, it was fairly well established what the Christmas plans were, they just had a hiccup.
Our Take: Your Christmas or Mine 2 is incredibly fun, and will instantly draw you in. Like any good Christmas story, the movie is filled with cliches, but they don’t detract from the tender romance shared between James and Hayley. The two overcame their family differences in the first movie, but are faced with their own personal doubts in the sequel.
It’s exciting to see their relationship blossom and become threatened by the challenges presented in the movie. Hayley falls in love with the idea of being married to James before he even gets the chance to pop the question, and beyond that, the entire situation regarding the ring is somewhat of a misunderstanding. Then, there’s the presence of James’s childhood best friend — played by Heartstopper‘s Rhea Norwood — who is touchy and an attention seeker. As the situation worsens, the news about James’s Los Angeles offer comes to light.
The conflict becomes a colossal trainwreck and the two are unable to slap a bandaid on it, and call it a night. Taking a detour from the traditional Christmas movies, Your Christmas or Mine 2 allows the characters to live in pain and heartbreak for an appropriate amount of time before inching its way to the resolution. This gives the audience more insight into their relationship and the love they have for each other, which makes their romance all the more delightful.
Our Call: STREAM IT!! We love love and this movie has tons of it! With a sprinkle of mischief and heartbreak, Your Christmas or Mine 2 is a standout Christmas movie that doesn’t sacrifice quality and storytelling for festival cheer. Hayley and James have an exciting romance that’s brought to life through Butterfield and Kirk’s genuine performances. The movie is sure to entertain viewers from all walks of life, even though the core romance centers on two youngins.